My gouldians have never moulted..why?

Kiko · Post by **Kiko** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:02 pm

Perhaps this should go in health, but anyway here goes.

My gouldians were purchased last year around this time, so they are well over a year old.

They have never had a full moult in my house. They lose little feathers, like right now there are quite a few, but that's all.

Is that because they don't have a nest and don't breed, or, for some other reason?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:44 pm

I don't believe it has much if anything to do with breeding. Are you saying they don't have their adult colours or that they do have their adult colour but just haven't moulted since being with you?

Kiko · Post by **Kiko** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:05 pm

Liz - They have their adult colours (I got them as babies, just come into their full colour) , and have never moulted since being with me.

I just thought birds moulted yearly, and I read they can moult every 6 or twelve months, and thought it weird that they haven't since I got them!

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 11:41 pm

I would take a look at their diet and the temps they have been in over the past year. The lighting too. How many hours of daylight are they given?

Kiko · Post by **Kiko** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:18 am

OK - I think their diet is likely fine. They get a good seed mix, plus eggfood and oyster shell. Fresh greens daily.

They do not get any real sunlight. I have a light bar over their cage so they are not in a dark corner, but it would be a dark corner if they didn't have the light. They get no direct light from a window. Is it time to re-evaluate where they live in the house, move them to where they get light rather than where I can see them more easily?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:22 am

I would not move them to a window. If you have a good light near them then that's fine. If they appear happy, active and healthy - then I wouldn't worry about them moulting. They will moult when they are ready. You can't force mother nature to do things she/they aren't ready for. Just enjoy them where you want them and where you can see them best.

Kiko · Post by **Kiko** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:43 am

Ok - whew - that's good news. They certainly seem happy and healthy. I would definitely miss having them right beside me, and they seem to like interacting with me too. Thank you Liz!

Thank you MLaRue for responding as well.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:16 am

Lynn, my favorite gouldian Mario would not go into a molt for a long time. I was getting concerned about it because he kept wanting to breed. Finally after 15 months he is now molting I think some take longer.

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:18 am

Kiko wrote:Ok - whew - that's good news. They certainly seem happy and healthy. I would definitely miss having them right beside me, and they seem to like interacting with me too. Thank you Liz!

Thank you MLaRue for responding as well.

Lynn,

I should've been more detailed. By "daylight" hours I meant how many hours of light are they given? Do you follow the outside daylight hours or are you giving them 12 or more hours a day through out the year?

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:28 am

If you got them last year as babies, I don't think it's unusual that they haven't had a yearly molt yet, especially if they have not/are not breeding.

Depending on where you are located and what the conditions (temperature wise) are in your house, I think may affect how well they molt.

If they are not breeding, it can be a little more difficult I think, too, because my birds seem to usually molt either immediately after breeding ceases or as soon as the temperatures begin to rise.

Kiko · Post by **Kiko** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:11 am

Misty: They get twelve or more hours a day throughout the year. Lights go on 7-8am, I wait until they wake up. Lights go off, around 7:30-8:30pm. They seem to like their sleep, so I don't usually go more than 12 hours.

Donna: Good to hear that about Mario. Mine do look healthy, but when I realized they hadn't moulted in a year, I was worried they were missing something. (Other than breeding ;)

Nixity: That is also reassuring. Of course once they moult I'll be worried that they are going to come out of it ok, that's the way we finch parents are!